Oilers add Alex Chiasson on a PTO

The Oilers have dipped into the former Stanley Cup Champion well yet again, adding Alex Chiasson to the fold on a professional tryout contract. Chiasson, along with recently-signed defenceman Jakub Jerabek, was a member of the Washington Capitals Cup winning team this spring.

Chiasson was once a very highly-touted prospect for the Dallas Stars. He was a second-round pick of the Stars in 2009 and ended up being the main prospect sent back to Ottawa in the Jason Spezza trade that sent the Senators captain to Dallas in 2014. Most recently, Chiasson scored nine goals and nine assists in 61 games in a depth role with the Capitals, adding two points in 16 games in the playoffs.

He’ll turn 28 years old at the beginning of October. He’s a right-handed right winger who plays a power forward style game with a big, 6’4″ frame. He also has good hands and offensive ability for a big guy, though he’s never really put it together at the NHL level.

The Oilers now have Scottie Upshall and Chiasson battling for roles on the team. On the bubble are Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto, as each can be put through waivers, and Pontus Aberg and Ty Rattie, who haven’t proved much at the NHL level in the past. The Oilers are very weak on the right wing side, as their depth looks something like Rattie, Tobias Reider, Puljujarvi/Yamamoto, and Zack Kassian. So that gives Chiasson a decent shot at actually making the team and earning a contract.